Valentine's package
by Bittermahogany
Summary: Short one-shots on various couples. WallArt, Dick/Wally, BluePulse.
1. BluePulse

When Impulse sees Blue Beetle after traveling in the past for the first time, he's a little out of the loop. The boy is fifteen, same age as him, with a hoodie and a tendency to talk to himself, when in reality Bart knows he's talking to the Scarab no one else can hear. It's disconcerting, just last week (years to come) Blue Beetle was a bully, a beef cake telling him to move things faster, get working or get hurt. Things can't have changed so drastically.

But then he reminds himself he's thirty years in the past and that's a long time for everything to change.

He watches Jaime closely. Jaime tends to talk to his Scarab a lot and when he approaches too fast or too abruptly there's always a sonic lazer aimed right at his heart but Jaime _seems_ to be in control. He asks around one day and the team regards this as normal; just Jaime being Jaime. Bart can see how Blue Beetle has become the way he has though it pains him to think that way.

He doesn't say anything to the team, for all he knows the team might be the thing that pushes Blue Beetle to the dark side. Instead he takes to comparing the two Blue Beetles in his head. He's seen behind the armor in his timeline. Seen what Jaime will become.

The Jaime Reyes in his timeline is around fifty years old, buff with veins sticking out of his arm, like he took a dose of one of Bane's concoctions. He's a trained killing machine, the worst prison warden, his hair a shock of white at the temples and eyes that reek of madness and no light to be found. The Jaime Reyes Bart knows does not smile but smirk cruelly at his prisoners.

Bart can't imagine that face on this boy though he knows that it's what he'll eventually become. When he journeyed to the past he imagined not able to stand Blue Beetle's presence, out of fear and equal parts anger, hating the boy for what he'll become and what he will do.

He never imagined befriending him, making jokes with him, wanting to save him so badly it kept him up at night. No one knew what exactly turned the Scarab on. He just knew sometime this year his friend will be gone. Could he prevent it? He planned on winging on it at first but now that he knew what Jaime Reyes was really like all those years ago, _now_, he didn't think that way of thinking would be enough. Something life changing happened to Jaime Reyes that took him away forever and suddenly Bart didn't know what to do about it. If what he was doing now was enough.

He wants to keep this Jaime. This Jaime who laughs, just a kid who doesn't know anything more cruel than stolen chicken whizzes, can't comprehend the future ahead of them and the role he played in Bart's one way ticket to the past.

He doesn't understand why Bart pays so much attention to him and Bart knows he'll have to eventually have to explain, but he likes this Jaime Reyes whose is pure and unfiltered joy and who likes to get up in the middle of the afternoon.

And he knows he's falling for him, in this way he never planned and never dreamed of back in the future that was his past. Can't erase the doubt in his mind that he'll fall flat on his mission. He's risked so much, his own existence for the future, and he knows he can't act on it, not when he knows exactly what will happen if he failed.

Bart isn't good on not talking. He's a social creature, has been since a child and he's been punished severely for it. Aunt Dawn always said he couldn't keep his mouth shut with a small but fond smile on her face, worry lines creasing her forehead. But he could if he wanted to, and so he didn't say anything about Blue Beetle's fate, or the way he fell in love with someone he was from experience meant to hate.

Instead he played Impulse's smile and bright attitude and laughed while inside he was sinking with worry, and everything was never just right, too fast or too slow in time and speed but that was okay. Because as long as Jaime wasn't on mode that was crash.


	2. Onesided DickWally

Onesided Dick/Wally

You are thirteen years old when your best friend and your other friend hook up. It's New Year's, the exact moment the clock strikes twelve when you receive a kiss from the girl you have a crush on and your best friend picks up the girl you originally thought he hated and kisses her on the lips.

You can't say you've seen this coming and you can't not say. It was growing in the both of them but you thought there'd be more of a warning. Some kind of big epic romance musical Alfred watches on TV but you rationalize that your collective day-to-day lives is an action flick and someone has to get a girl right?

_Though_, your mind adds, C_onner and Megan are smooching in the corner and even Kaldur has gotten a peck from the new girl, isn't that enough?_

Their first fights might count as the buildup but still, it seems so sudden. You don't know why you focus on their relationship so much in the following weeks, not when Zatanna is paying attention to you, trying to get a date, you liked her right? Except, it doesn't play out like that.

You are sixteen years old when you figure it out and by that time your relationship with Zatanna is beyond the awkward break-up phase and onto the, we're officially over it and talking politely again. Wally's eighteen now and just out of high school, talking about maybe retiring being Kid Flash to focus on college studies. Maybe moving in with Artemis he adds as a murmur. It breaks your heart and you go into your work tenfold, which the others wrongfully label as an prolonged after effect of the breakup.

You don't correct them. Just go in to your detective work, to the point that even your mentor thinks you should take a break.

And when he asks for your sincere blessing during the goodbye party, after avoiding both Artemis and him for weeks, his arms slung over your shoulder and his eyes lovingly focused on Artemis who's hugging M'gann goodbye, you know your feelings are moot. So you smile and say your good wishing, putting on the traught when all you feel is the dis, and tell him he better not screw up even though you want him to so, _so_ badly.

He's already found his love and you know to confess now would be foolish. And a part of you is infinitely sad because you love him. Love his humor and his hair and his freckles and his eyes that you dream of at night. You know you're young to say that, the 'L' word should not be so serious out of your mouth. But it truly is and that's the hard part.

And when Wally leaves that night, Artemis in his arms and a smile on his face you smile back. Even though you feel empty inside. And next week when they have a team meeting and both their seats are gone you feel you might cry.

But you carry on.

_"Learning loving somebody_  
_don't make them love you_"  
Sitting, Waiting, Wishing on-  
By Jack Johnson


	3. WallArt

Pairing: Wally/Artemis

"Hey babe," Wally smiled and pecked Artemis on the cheek, "Missed me?"

"Ow." Wally West rubbed his shoulder, the punch was light, so it didn't actually hurt but he still rubbed it anyway, "What was that for?"

"You're late." Artemis growled, she grabbed the cheap fabric that was one of Wally's old Flash shirts and pulled him closer. "And that wasn't a proper greeting."

Wally smirked, his green eyes alight with simple pleasure, and pulled Artemis closer, "Whatever you say babe." They kissed, their lips meeting and sparking, Artemis grabbed a fistful of Wally's red hair, her lips moving from chaste to passionate to almost desperate.

They released for air and Wally rubbed Artemis's back, murmuring soothing nothings.

"I miss you, I miss you so much."

"I know you do. I miss you too."

Artemis's face was puffy and red, her beautiful eyes shining with tears, she furrowed her head in Wally's chest, her arms lowered and took to squeezing him. There was a blaring in her ears that drowned out Wally's assurances but she knew whether she heard them or not it wouldn't help in the long run.

RING RING RING

Artemis Crock woke up and hit snooze, readjusting the blankets so it covered her head as well. She didn't need to wake up in their apartment to be reminded it was only her apartment now.

A tear, unbidden, went down her already wet face and she closed her eyes, then opened them back when an image of Wally lingered behind her eyelids.

Just a dream.

"Just a dream." She whispered to her lonely apartment.


End file.
